Snatch block



Sept. 11, 1956 D. ANDERSON SNATCH BLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1954 INVENTOR DUNCAN ANDERSON ATTOR s Sept. 11, 1956 D. ANDERSON 2,762,607

SNATCH BLOCK Filed Dec. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NV ENTOR DU NCAN AN DERSON 8 ATTORN United States Patent SNA'ICH BLOCK Duncan Anderson, Langley Prairie, British Columbia, Canada Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,395

4 Claims. (Cl. 254-194) This invention relates to improvements in a snatch block.

While this block or pulley may be used for any desired purpose, it is the type which is usually secured to an anchor point or support by a cable or rope and having a line running over the pulley. It may also have means by which another line may be secured to the block.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a block having a pulley rotatably mounted upon a pin which is free floating.

Another object is the provision of a block which lasts longer and requires less attention than blocks now in use for the same purpose.

A block according to the present invention includes a pair of spaced cheeks forming a pulley chamber therebetween, a pin extending between and rotatably supported by the cheeks centrally thereof, and a pulley rotatably mounted on the pin in the chamber between the cheeks. This pin is freely rotatable within the cheeks and the pulley. A pair of opposed hooks extend outwardly radially from the cheeks transversely of the latter and beside each other when the cheeks are in their normal working position, there being one hook on each cheek extending towards the other hook. These hooks combine to form a normally closed loop which may be opened merely by rotating at least one of the cheeks around the pin to separate the loops. It is preferable, although not absolutely necessary, to provide a boss on and projecting inwardly from each cheek between the hook thereof and the pulley. In this case, the two bosses meet when the loop is closed to separate the space formed by the loop from the pulley chamber. In addition to the above, a second pair of books may extend outwardly radially from the cheeks spaced from the first-mentioned hooks. The two hooks of the second pair combine to form a closed loop when the checks are in their normal working position, said hooks being moved away from each other when the first hooks are separated.

An example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the block having two loops, said loops being closed,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the block of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the block,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan of the block,

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the block with the loops open,

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the open block looking towards the right side of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, 10 and 11 are spaced cheeks forming a pulley chamber 12 therebetween. These cheeks may be any desired shape, but they are usually substantially circular, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The cheeks 10 and 11 have thickened portions 15 and 16 centrally 2,762,607 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 the pin and the boss of each cheek, and it is preferable to use non-friction bearings, such as needle bearings 27 and 28. The needle bearings 27 are positioned between the pin and boss 15, while needle bearings 28 are between the pin and boss 16.

The pin 25 has a head 30 on one end and a cap 31 removably mounted on its opposite end by studs 32. The head and cap overlap the outer ends of the bosses 15 and 16 and are so spaced apart that the pin is free to rotate in said bosses.

A pulley 35 is rotatably mounted on pin 25 within the chamber 12. The opposite faces 36 and 37 of the pulley slidably bear against the inner surfaces of the cheeks 10 and 11, and said faces are dished inwardly to form flat surfaces 39 and 40 which slidably bear against the flat surfaces 21 and 22 of the cheek bosses. A suitable hearing, such as needle bearings 43, is provided between the pulley and the pin so that the former is freely rotatable on the latter.

The cheeks 10 and 11 are also rotatably mounted on the pin so that they may be turned relative to each other. A pair of opposed hooks 46 and 47 extend outwardly radially from the cheeks 10 and 11, respectively, and transversely of the latter, see Figures 1 to 3. These hooks 'lie beside each other when the cheeks are in their normal working position and form a normally closed loop 49. This loop is opened by rotating at least one of the cheeks around the pin. Figures 6 and 7 show cheek 10 turned relative to cheek 11 so that the hooks are separated and the loop opened.

Bosses 52 and 53 project inwardly from cheeks 10 and 11 between their respective hooks and pulley 35. The two bosses meet when loop 49 is closed to separate the space formed by said loop from pulley chamber 12, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5. If desired, aligned holes 55 and 56 may extend through these bosses so that if it is necessary to lock the cheeks together, a bolt or pin may be inserted in these holes.

If desired, a second pair of hooks 60 and 61 may extend outwardly radially from the cheeks 10 and 11 spaced from the first-mentioned hooks. It is preferable that these hooks be diagrammatically opposed to hooks 46 and 47, as shown. Hooks 60 and 61 combine to form a loop 63 when the cheeks are in their normal working position, said hooks being moved away from each other when the checks are rotated to separate the first hooks. The hooks 60 and 61 have diagonal portions 65 and 66 extending towards each other, and parallel portions 67 and 68 which come together in a plane 69 extending at right angles to the axis of pin 35, see Figure 4.

When it is desired to run a line around pulley 35, the cheeks 10 and 11 may be rotated relative to each other to open loops 49 and 63. This makes it possible to place the block on a line the opposite ends of which are far away or not free. If necessary, other lines or line loops may be inserted in loops 49 and 63 when they are open. As long as there is any tension on either of the lines in these loops, it is not possible to rotate the cheeks to open said loops. If there is danger of the block opening when there is slack on the line in loop 49, a bolt or pin may be inserted in the holes 55 and 56 when they are aligned to prevent relative movement of the cheeks.

Pin 25 is free floating in the cheeks and the pulley. Thus, the pin will rotate during operation of the block independently of the pulley. This prevents it wearing away on any one side or point, which is usual in the blocks in common use. The bosses 52 and 53 prevent lines extending around the pulley and the loop 49 from rubbing.

together. The three sets of needle bearings around the pin ensure free movement of the latter, and they tend to hold lubricant between them so that the block does not need to be lubricated as often as ordinary blocks. The surfaces 36 and 37 of the cheeks, and surfaces 21 and 22 of the bosses 15 and 16 brace the pulley laterally, while the checks are supported on opposite'sides of the pulley by the bosses 52 and 53 on one side, and the parallel portions of the hooks 60 and 61 on the other side.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A block comprising a pair of spaced cheeks forming a pulley chamber therebetween, thickened portions at the centers of the cheeks extending inwardly therefrom forming aligned bosses having flat parallel inner surfaces, a pin journalled in said bosses, a pulley rotatably mounted on the pin in the chamber between the cheeks and having opposite faces thereof dished inwardly to form flat surfaces slidably bearing against the fiat inner surfaces of the bosses, the remaining undished portions of the opposite faces of the pulley slidably bearing against the inner surfaces of the cheeks, and a pair of opposed hooks extending outwardly radially from the cheeks transversely of the latter and beside each other when the cheeks are in their normal working position, there being one hook on each cheek extending towards the other hook, and said hooks combining to form a normally closed loop which may be opened by rotating at least one of the cheeks around the pin to separate the hooks.

2. A block as claimed in claim 1 including a second pair of hooks extending outwardly radially from the cheeks spaced from the first-mentioned hooks, there being one of said second hooks on each cheek extending towards the other hook and the two combining to form a closed loop when the cheeks are in their normal working position, said second pair of hooks being moved away from each other when the first hooksare separated.

3. A block as claimed in claim 1 including a set of needle bearings between each cheek and the pin, and another set of needle bearings between the latter and the pulley.

4. A block as claimed in claim 1 including a boss projecting inwardly from each cheek between the hook thereof and the pulley, the two bosses meeting when the loop is closed to separate the space formed by the loop from the pulley chamber, and aligned holes through said bosses through which locking means may be inserted to retain the bosses and cheeks fixed relative to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 218,691 Spencer Aug. 19, 1879 312,682 Werum Feb. 24, 1885 2,555,059 Schrader May 29, 1951 

